Autism Resources in Boulder for Parents
Boulder County has some of the most established local autism resources in Colorado, from a dedicated county autism society to strong school district and disability programs. This guide covers the support groups, evaluations and early intervention, school and Child Find help, funding, and therapy options Boulder parents often compare. Budding Futures provides in-home ABA in Boulder, and these are the kinds of resources families ask us about most.
Case management and Early Intervention for Boulder County moved from Imagine! to A&I Avenues, (303) 439-7011. Imagine! is now a service provider only, not the way in.
- Find local autism support groups and parent communities
- Get your child evaluated through Early Intervention or Child Find
- Understand IEPs and school support
- See how Medicaid and insurance cover autism therapy
- Compare ABA, speech, and occupational therapy options
- Know when in-home ABA is worth considering
Start here if your child was recently diagnosed with autism in Boulder
A new autism diagnosis brings a lot at once, and it helps to take things in order. About 1 in 31 U.S. children are now identified with autism, per the CDC's 2025 data, so you are far from alone in sorting this out. Many parents start by reaching out to other families, then handle any evaluations their child still needs. After that it is easier to look at how Health First Colorado or private insurance covers services. You really do not have to do everything in the first week. Our guide on what to do after an autism diagnosis walks through the steps.
| What you need | Where to start |
|---|---|
| A developmental or autism evaluation | Early Intervention Colorado (under 3) or your school district's Child Find (age 3+) |
| Parent support and community | Autism Society of Colorado, a local Facebook group, or r/Autism_Parenting |
| Help with waivers, respite, or case management | A&I Avenues, the case management agency for Boulder, Broomfield and Gilpin counties, or the Colorado HCPF directory |
| Therapy planning | An initial ABA evaluation, plus speech and occupational therapy as needed |
Autism support groups and parent communities in Boulder
Boulder is unusual in having a county-specific autism society, which means local, in-person support groups for parents and teens.
| Organization | What it offers | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Society of Boulder County | County nonprofit with several in-person and online support groups for parents and teens. | autismboulder.org |
| Boulder County Children with Special Needs | County program connecting families to disability services and supports. | bouldercounty.gov |
| A&I Avenues | Case management agency for Boulder, Broomfield and Gilpin counties since July 2024: early intervention and case management. | imaginecolorado.org |
| BVSD Neurodiversity Resources | Boulder Valley School District resource list for neurodivergent students and families. | bvsd.org |
Online communities Boulder parents actually use
These are active Facebook groups and forums where local parents trade real, current advice. Search the name on the platform to request to join.
| Community | Platform | Join |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Society of Boulder County | Local community | autismboulder.org |
| Autism in Colorado | Facebook group | Find on Facebook |
| r/Autism_Parenting | Open on Reddit |
Resource listings are provided for parent convenience and are not endorsements. Availability, eligibility, and details change often, so please contact or search each group directly before relying on it.
Sensory-friendly and adaptive Boulder
Boulder County has an unusually active autism parent community, and the nearest museum sensory session is a genuine bargain.
- Autism Society of Boulder County (720-272-8231): four or more ongoing parent groups, including an online family group, a teen and tween group, a group for younger children ages 2 to 11, and a Longmont group run in English and Spanish.
- WOW! Children's Museum, Lafayette: Sunday sensory-friendly playtime for $1.
- Boulder Public Library and Boulder Parks and Recreation: ask about sensory storytime sessions and adaptive programming, which run on a rotating schedule.
Schedules for these programs shift, so call before you drive out.
Diagnostic and developmental resources near Boulder
Boulder families have both county and school-based evaluation paths, depending on the child's age.
| Resource | What it offers | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Early Intervention Colorado | Free developmental evaluation and services for children under age 3. | eicolorado.org |
| A&I Avenues | Boulder, Broomfield and Gilpin case management agency providing early intervention and family case management. | imaginecolorado.org |
| JFK Partners (CU Anschutz) | University autism and developmental evaluations serving Colorado families. | cuanschutz.edu |
For the full local picture, including which practices take Medicaid and what each one publishes for cost and wait times, see our guide to getting an autism evaluation in Boulder.
School, IEP, and Child Find resources in Boulder
Public schools evaluate at no cost. Under 3, that runs through Early Intervention; for ages 3 and older, through Boulder Valley School District's Child Find, which can lead to an IEP.
Boulder Valley School District runs Child Find on (720) 561-5078 and has its own in-house autism assessment team, which is not something every district can say. Under 3, case management and Early Intervention for Boulder County moved to A&I Avenues (303-439-7011) on July 1, 2024 as part of Colorado's case management redesign. Imagine! is still a service provider, but it is no longer the way in.
| Resource | Who it is for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| BVSD Child Find | Free evaluation for children ages 3-5 in Boulder Valley School District. | bvsd.org |
| Early Intervention Colorado | Free evaluation and an Individualized Family Service Plan for children under 3. | eicolorado.org |
| School-based ABA support | How ABA goals can align with the classroom and IEP. | Read our guide |
Developmental disability, waiver, and case management help
Some Boulder families need more than therapy, especially when sorting out Medicaid waivers, respite, or long-term supports. Your Community Centered Board is the entry point, and these statewide groups help parents navigate the system.
| Resource | What it helps with | Link |
|---|---|---|
| A&I Avenues | Your case management agency (303-439-7011): early intervention, Medicaid waivers, respite, and case management. | imaginecolorado.org |
| Colorado HCPF directory | Look up the correct case management agency or board for your county. | hcpf.colorado.gov |
| Parent to Parent of Colorado | Free parent-to-parent matching, resource navigation, and coaching by parents who have been there. | p2p-co.org |
| Empower Colorado | Statewide family support and education for children's mental and behavioral health. | empowercolorado.org |
Autism therapy options in Boulder
Most families combine a few therapies, depending on the child. A good first step is an initial ABA evaluation, which helps clarify what actually fits before you commit to a schedule.
| Therapy | What it helps with | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| ABA therapy | Communication, daily living, safety, and behavior goals. Often the most-covered service. | In-home ABA |
| Speech therapy | Speech, language, and communication, including AAC for children who are not yet talking. | ABA & speech delay |
| Occupational therapy | Sensory needs, motor skills, feeding, and daily routines. | Start with an evaluation |
Medicaid, insurance, and funding help for autism services
Colorado is one of the better states for autism coverage. Health First Colorado (Medicaid) covers ABA therapy, and private insurance covers it under state law. Plenty of families pay little out of pocket once coverage is sorted. Our Medicaid ABA therapy guide explains enrollment, prior authorization, and what to expect.
| Funding source | What it covers | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Health First Colorado (Medicaid) | Covers medically necessary ABA therapy, evaluation, and supervision for eligible children. | Medicaid ABA guide |
| Private insurance | Colorado law requires autism therapy coverage; specifics vary by plan. | Insurance verification |
| CES Waiver / EPSDT | State programs that can extend services for children with higher needs. | Learn more |
When to consider in-home ABA therapy in Boulder
In-home ABA helps when skills need to carry over into the real home routine, the parts of the day that tend to be hardest. It also skips the daily clinic commute. Budding Futures delivers in-home, BCBA-led ABA in Boulder, accepts Health First Colorado and major insurers, and currently has no waitlist for assessments. If you are comparing providers, our guide on how to choose an ABA provider covers the questions worth asking.
An ABA evaluation can help if you are asking questions like these:
- How can we help our child communicate needs more safely?
- Why are transitions, meals, bedtime, or outings so hard?
- How do we reduce unsafe behavior without punishment?
- How many ABA hours does our child actually need?
- Can therapy goals connect with school and speech therapy?
Related autism and ABA resources for Boulder families
These guides go deeper on the steps above, all written for Colorado families.
Wondering if in-home ABA could fit your child?
We can talk through your child's goals, your Boulder routine, and how Medicaid or insurance would work. No pressure, just a clear next step.
Common questions from Boulder autism parents
Where can I find autism support groups in Boulder?
How do I get my child evaluated for autism in Boulder?
Does Medicaid cover autism therapy in Boulder?
What autism resources in Boulder are free?
Does Budding Futures provide ABA therapy in Boulder?
Who runs Early Intervention in Boulder County now?
Does CU Boulder diagnose autism?
Talk to a BCBA about your child
Tell us what is hard right now. We will explain what in-home ABA could do, check your Medicaid or insurance, and give you a straight answer about next steps.